LOS ANGELES– The NBA Playoffs tipoff tomorrow, as the Los Angeles Lakers will host the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena for Game 1 on Saturday, April 18.
It will probably be the final postseason battle between King James and KD in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
With the Lakers holding home court advantage as the NO. 4 Seed, the Purple and Gold will be shorthanded as both Luka Doncic, as well as Austin Reaves will not be available due to injury.
On March 31st, the Lakers had just completed one of the best months in franchise history, going 15-2 to shoot up the standings from 6th to 3rd.
They did so on the broad shoulders of an absolutely spectacular Slovenian, as Luka Dončić averaged 37.5 points on 49.2% FG’s and 39.2% 3’s (5.0 makes per game!) to total 600 points for the month, breaking Kobe’s record.
And, oh yeah, he added 7.4 assists, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.
With Austin Reaves and LeBron providing the ideal accompaniment to Luka’s lead, and frankly, the entire roster filling in the needed gaps, all seemed possible for the Lakers heading into April, the playoffs just six games away.
But then in Oklahoma City on April 2, it turned into a horrible problem, the Lakers lost not only Dončić to a hamstring injury, but Reaves to an oblique strain.
LA dropped the two subsequent contests, as they tried to wrap their heads around what would come next.
The Lakers ended up getting the number four seed and will square off against the defensive minded Rockets. Lakers center DeAndre Ayton needs to come up big in order for the Lakers to advance.
Two of the best Laker players are slated To return in the next series, if the lakers are fortunate enough to advance. It’s win or go home in this best of seven series. Tip off is slated for 5:30 pm at Crypto.com
